The Lasting Impact of Childhood Trauma: Understanding the Connection to Chronic Pain
Childhood trauma can have a lasting impact on an individual’s physical and mental well-being. When we talk about trauma, it doesn’t necessarily mean that a terrible event happened. Trauma can be repeated feelings of neglect or criticism, for instance. While an array of symptoms may come up later in life because of early trauma, let’s look specifically at the link
Breaking the Cycle: Understanding and Challenging the Negativity Bias
Negativity bias refers to the phenomenon where negative events or information have a greater impact on an individual’s thoughts, emotions, and behavior than neutral or positive events. Negative experiences feel like they are seared into our memory while the positive ones don’t seem to stick around/ This bias is thought to have evolved as a survival mechanism, as it helped
How to Deal with Chronic Pain Over the Holidays
The holidays can be both a wonderful and difficult time of the year. You might feel overwhelmed with the extra obligations and time with others, particularly if you are dealing with chronic pain. Here are a few tools to help you navigate this holiday season if chronic pain is part of your life. Practice setting boundaries Having a hard time
Top 3 Tips for Coping with Anxiety
When anxiety is a part of your everyday life, it’s easy to live with it and try to ignore its impact. With high-functioning anxiety, you still fulfill your responsibilities, get through the day, and even exceed your goals. Though you’re coping with your anxiety, it’s still adding stress and may be contributing to physical symptoms as well. If you struggle
How the Brain Holds onto Fear: Using EMDR Therapy to Let Go
As humans, it is easy to remember experiences that scare us. Our brains are built to search for threats and warn us about potential danger. When our bodies feel fear, the amygdala is the part of the brain that is responsible for alerting us to any potential threats. Research shows that during a traumatic event, our brain has enhanced recollections,
How to Setup your Bedroom for a Restful Night’s Sleep
Almost 50% of adults report occasional sleep problems and 1 in 10 experiences ongoing, chronic insomnia that can sometimes last for years (1). Insomnia can develop for a variety of reasons. The good news is, with the support of an insomnia therapist, you can learn techniques to get a better night’s sleep. As sleep science has evolved, the emphasis has shifted
Can You Get Your Insomnia Treated Online?
Insomnia is a common sleep disorder that is characterized by problems falling and staying asleep, as well as getting good quality sleep. As many as 3 in 10 Americans suffer from insomnia. Of these, 28% state that insomnia disrupts their normal routines and affects the quality of their daily lives. — Additionally, stress and anxiety around a lack of sleep can make
Top 3 reasons to try EMDR Therapy Online
EMDR therapy is a technique that was developed to help people recover after trauma. By usingeye movements or other bilateral stimulation (or back-and-forth movements), while thinkingabout something distressing, our experience of the trauma shifts. EMDR therapy is now widelyused and is an evidence-based treatment for PTSD and other conditions. Research shows that EMDR can lessen the impact of symptoms of
Mindfulness Strategies to Practice for Better Health
Incorporating mindful strategies can improve chronic pain and insomnia Mindfulness is defined as paying attention to the current moment. It’s a state of observing one’s own thoughts and feelings without passing judgment on them. To help visualize this, picture yourself as a mountain, sitting tall and wide. Clouds passing through you but never taking your attention. When it comes to
Are Some People Genetically Predisposed To Be Night Owls?
While some night owls may learn to work with the sleep schedule they’re predisposed to, others might find it difficult to function in the daytime. It’s important to note that some adults are short sleepers who naturally feel refreshed the day before even after sleeping less than 6 hours. But for many adults, the recommended amount of 6 to 9 hours of